Calvin Manika
MANY villagers in Matabeleland North province continue to benefit from government’s climate proofed Presidential Input Scheme.
The latest beneficiaries are villagers from Mabale, ward 17 who recently received their top dressing Ammonium Nitrate (AN) fertilizer, in a move aimed at boosting a potential bumper harvest.
Many beneficiaries described the handover of inputs as ‘just in time’ as rains have been generous this year.
Speaking to The Zambezi Times Mpumelelo Zikhali of Nabushome village under Victoria Falls expressed hope.
“I am so thankful for this programme we were given seed, compound D and now top dressing fertiliser. Our crops were suffering from lack of nutrients but they are now green. Of late our crops were attacked by pests but we managed to use some pesticides and we are now on the recovery path,” said Zikhali.
Mabale is situated just adjacent to the Hwange National park; the village include the popular Cross Mabale in Dete. The main park and the village are divided by the Bulawayo – Victoria Falls road. The set up for years has resulted in wildlife on an open vacation to roam the villages destroying crops.
However, despite higher prospects of a good harvest Mabale villagers have been caught in a human wildlife conflict. Menacing elephants are already ‘harvesting’ the crops, in what has been described by villagers as a major setback.
“Our major problem is elephants especially to those residing near Cross Mabale, herds of elephants are destroying plants day and night. They are also baboons, they are invading maize fields particularly where the crops have matured and destroying,” continued Zikhali.
Human wild life conflict is a common phenomenon in Zimbabwe, particularly those inhabiting near or in national parks.
In the worst case scenario, human life has been lost as a result of the conflict that has been going on for years.
